


What We Missed

by My_Untold_Lies



Series: What We Figured Out [1]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst, Friends to Lovers, Guilt, M/M, Masturbation, Slow Burn, i will continue to update these as we go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-08-27 14:16:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8404816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Untold_Lies/pseuds/My_Untold_Lies
Summary: Molly assumes that Rob and Rich are in a relationship, everything after that is just fallout.





	1. In the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for editing this [Longcat!](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Longcat/pseuds/Longcat) It was never going to happen with out you. 
> 
> I am aware that people are not always comfortable with bringing Rob and Rich's families into things and so I am going to say that this is fair warning... They are talked about, they are present in Rob and Rich's lives... and things are complicated. **Don't like it don't read it.**
> 
> One more thing before we start the story... this is going to be long, I knew this from the very beginning and it is holding true... so buckle your seatbelts it's going to be a long bumpy ride.

Rich stood in front of the grill in Rob’s back yard watching things cook slowly. Looking out into the yard where their five kids were playing under Jaci’s watchful eye. Although her attention was directed more on the youngest, who was trying to keep up with the older kids who had decided it would be fun to see who was the fastest swimmer. Somewhere inside the house Molly and Rob were finishing the rest of dinner, though to be honest, Rich was not sure that Rob was actually helping Molly anymore, he was hoping he might be grabbing them beers.

“Hey, Rich.” Rich nearly jumped out of his skin as Rob suddenly appeared with two bottles of beer.

“Ya scared the shit outta me.” Rich took one of the beers from Rob who looked anything but remorseful.

“It is payback for being a jerk all the time.” Rob said with a smirk painting his bearded face. “How are those burgers you’re meditating on?” 

Rich glanced at his friend who was standing next to him peering at the food on the grill. “Just about done. Everything else ready?”

“Yep!” Rob smiled at him before looking out to see what the kids were up to. The pair stood side by side, shoulders almost touching until the burgers finished. They carried the freshly grilled food to the table where the rest of dinner was already waiting thanks to Molly. They signaled to Jaci that dinner was ready and she herded the children over to the table.

It was not terribly common for them to be able to get together like this. However it was easy for them to keep the conversation flowing between the four of them, Molly and Rob sitting on one side of the table with Richard and Jaci on the other. The kids sitting at a near by table allowed the adults to talk about careers and parenting without boring the children. It seemed to take no time at all for it to get late. The Speight’s left with their three children, leaving the Benedict’s with their two who where more than happy to run off and hide in their bedrooms.

Rob ran his hand through his hair as he took in the disaster that was the kitchen, before starting in on dishes. He knew that he could leave them for the morning, however, it would just make him anxious to know that there was still something that needed to be taken care of. This was something he knew that Molly would accept and probably be down in a few minutes to help him with. 

It took maybe five minutes before his wife of more than twenty years appeared in the kitchen and began moving dishes around so that they would be easier for him to reach as he continued to wash. After a few minutes of working in silence Molly spoke, “Rob, can we talk?”

“Of course, what’s up?” Rob could honestly not think of anything that they needed to talk about, but there was nothing that he would not be willing to talk with her about.

“I have been thinking about this for a long time now. I honestly wouldn't bring it up, but I think it is starting to effect our relationship.” Molly fidgeted with the dishes which made Rob’s nerves spike. He could not think of anything that was going on on his side of the relationship that would be affecting their relationship, they both traveled a lot but that was something that they were both comfortable with. He stopped washing dishes and turned to face her. “Are you and Rich together?”

Rob was glad he had decided to stop washing dishes because he would have dropped whatever he was holding. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He closed it again and took a deep breath. “W-w-w-what?” the word came out stuttered as he fought a mix of emotions.

“Its not something I ever thought I would have to ask you Rob.” Molly sounded all of her legal self, though she looked entirely self conscious. “I really need you to be honest with me about this.” She paused, taking a deep breath before asking, “Are you and Rich having an affair?”

“NO!” It came out as a shout, before Rob was able to compose himself. “We aren’t. I have never thought of having an affair. Why would you think that?” 

“It’s something I have wondered about for a while with you and Rich. I mean after everything with your stroke, you two share something I cant even imagine and you are so close. In the last year you seem closer every time I see you together.” Rob was beyond confused, sure he and Rich were close, but they were friends and nothing else. And anyway Rich was so straight it was not even funny, well ok, it was something that he and Matt teased Rich about on occasion, but that was all in fun. Molly spoke quietly breaking through his panicked thoughts. “You two were not exactly subtle about your closeness tonight.”

“I’m confused. And honestly not exactly sure what you are talking about. Me and Rich acted like we always do. I mean, I brought him a beer and we watched the kids, we ate dinner. I don't know what was different…” Rob trailed off as he returned to washing dishes trying to calm his racing thoughts. Had they been different? Had they become a couple with out realizing it? Was he having an affair with Rich, at least emotionally? Was he abandoning his family with out realizing it?

“Rob. You and Rich stood in front of the grill for almost ten minutes, your shoulders nearly touching, neither of you spoke that much. When you did both of you looked at each other with this affection that is not friendship. It looks like a highly longterm relationship.” She paused, watching Rob’s face intently, trying to read his thoughts as they played out across his face and gauge his reaction, “It reminds me of how you describe Misha and Jensen’s relationship. And it is not new.”

Rob sighed. “You are getting all lawyerly on me, and I know you think I am lying to you. But honestly, despite what you see, nothing is going on between me and Rich. I made a promise to you that I would not leave you. I made promises not to be like my father. I am not cheating on you. I have no reason to, you are wonderful, you have given me two amazing children. Me and Rich are close, yes, but I am not cheating on you with him.”

“I know you promised, and I know you are saying the words. But I look at you two together and there is something there.” She pulled out her phone and flicked through a couple of pictures before settling on one and making it bigger. She turned the phone towards him and he saw an image of Rob bumping shoulders with Rich while they were standing in front of the grill. Rich was smiling at him in that way he does when Rob has just told a rather funny joke. Rob could see he was smiling back, and it was crystal clear that the pair in the picture were rather lost in their own world in that moment. “I know you can’t exactly see it in the picture, I could not really capture it. Maybe Schmelke could, but there is…something there. That look, it’s the same one you give me.”

“Babe, I don’t know what else to say to you. It seems inefficient to tell you again that I am not sleeping with him. We’re… we’re just friends, nothing more” Rob looked a bit sad as she put the picture away. A part of him really wanted that photo. 

“I need you to promise me. Promise me that you are not sleeping with him. Promise me that if that changes you will tell me.” Molly looked so upset and desperate, as if she was losing the ground she was standing on.

“I promise.” Rob looked around the kitchen as his thoughts caught up with the conversation. “I have a bit of a question myself.”

Molly looked a bit surprised, she was not expecting him to come back with a question. “Ok.”

“Ummm… Do you… you know… want me to be sleeping with Rich for some reason?” Rob finished the dishes and dried his hands deliberately, taking all the time he could before turning to watch his wife. He didn’t quite know what he felt about having asked the question, his anxiety had yet to settle from the direction this conversation had gone and the possible answers here where not helping.

“I don’t really think I want you sleeping with him exactly, but it just feels so inevitable when you two are so close. It feels like no matter what I do, even if I just leave it alone, it is going to happen anyway.” Instead of trying to come up with a response, Rob opened his arms and she walked into them. He gathered her close to him, providing the support and comfort she craved. They stood there for a long time.

“You do realize that Rich is like completely straight, right?” Molly laughed against his chest, but did not say anything else. Rob knew that she had dropped the conversation for now, but he had a feeling that it was going to come back up, especially with a con coming up and not to long after that they were headed to Rome. He was glad that she had only asked if they were sleeping together and not if he had feelings for the man, that was a very different situation. He kissed her head and sighed. He was glad for the oversight on her part, a rare occurrence, but he was not sure if he could handle that conversation when it did come up, not with out the possibility of creating a rift between either himself and Molly or himself and Richard.


	2. When we talked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I forgot to say that I was going to post every Friday last time. So on Friday's there will be new chapters, unless I catch up with myself in the future... but if that happens I will let you know. So enjoy :)

Rob paced back and forth. Rich had texted him a half an hour ago to tell him he was running late. Checking his phone for the third time in just as many minutes. Rob tried to calm his nerves, taking a few deep breaths and desperately trying to remember that Rich was his best friend who had no idea any of this was going on. This was the first time that he was going to be seeing Rich since the conversation with Molly almost a week ago, a conversation he had been trying to forget. Part of this urge was because he did not like that Molly clearly did not believe him when he said nothing was going on, the other part was he really needed his relationship with Rich to stay as it was. Losing either of these relationships was not an option, knowing that they are there for him is vitally important to how he functioned in the world. 

where r u

Rich’s text sent Rob’s anxiety through the roof, as if it was already not sky high. He scanned the room and nearly sat down when he saw Rich walking towards him smirking and dragging his luggage behind him.

“You are an ass.” Rob grouses as Rich slides in next to him. Rob could feel his anxiety settling a bit, unfortunately with everything that was going on in his head he was still strung tight. 

“Hello to you too.” Rich continues smirking, clearly knowing that this little trick got his friend every time. 

“Whatever, we need to get through security.” Rich looked at Rob in surprise at his friends terse response. While it always set Rob on edge when he texted him like that, he usually got over it pretty quickly, since he knew Rich was just messing with him. But today, Rob was barely containing his stress

“Robbie, you ok?” Rob looked away, he was hoping that this conversation was not one they would have in the middle of a busy airport where they could run into anyone. Rich pressed him, hoping that whatever it was they could clear it up before they spent all weekend being entertaining for a crowed of observant women. “Alright. I know somethin’ is eatn’ ya, what’s going on?”

“Can we not have this conversation here?” Rob pleaded with his friend. They did not need to start off more rumors about their relationship, it was bad enough that Molly thought there was something going on, it would be ten times worse if the fans got ahold of the idea as well. He did not need that kind of stress in his life. 

“Oookay, at least give me the basics.” Rich let Rob lead them towards the security checkpoint.

“My wife and I had an awkward conversation after the barbecue last weekend, and it is not something that I want to talk about where people can overhear.” Rob was not entirely sure that he even wanted to have the conversation with Rich at all, but he knew that there was no way that Rich would let it go without way more information. It was a trait Rob hated about his friend at the moment, his need to know all the things that bugged Rob, since he usually used them to torment him. 

“Right-o.” Rich kept his voice light, “Lets get going then.”

The pair made their way through the airport together, in sync from years of practice. Rob knew that it was going to be a long day for Rich, he was not used to having to wait for information from Rob. With luck, Rich could be patient. 

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

By the time they had finished dinner and made their way back to the hotel Rich was nearly crawling out of his skin with impatience, and this was not helping Rob’s general anxiety over the whole thing. Rob had been quiet all day and Rich had a sneaking suspicion that whatever was bothering the man was huge. Of course there was huge that bothered Rob, but was not terribly life changing and then there was huge that was cataclysmic, which would also bother Rob but could also drastically change their lives. Rich really hoped it was not the latter, he liked things the way they were. 

The door shut behind them as they entered the room that officially belonged to Rob. They had checked in and gotten settled before dinner, meaning that Robs things were already scattered around the room, making the space feel a bit less impersonal, but still almost neutral ground. Rich watched Rob settle on the edge of the bed facing him. “Okay, out with it. What has you so strung up?” Rich demanded as he sat facing his long time friend. 

Rob ran both hands down his face and then through his hair, “So, ummm, Last weekend, right after the barbecue, well I mean, while we were cleaning up, after the kids went to bed, Molly asked…” Rob trailed off, taking a deep breath, shifting uncomfortably on the bed, “She umm… she asked if I was having an affair.”

“Wait, What? Why would she think that?” Rich was confused, Rob was the last person on earth that anyone should think that about. Rob was incredibly faithful and after everything that happened with his dad when he was young, there was no reason to think he would do something like that.

“Heh, well, apparently, umm. W-we were not, uh, subtle in our, um, intimacy at the, you know, Barbecue.” Rob’s words took a rollercoaster of pitches in his flustered state.

Rich gapped as his brain began to put together what Rob had just told him. Rich searched his friends face as he looked for words to form a response. “I…. I…” Rich tried to come up with anything to say, “W-What?”

“Molly thinks that you and me are having an affair?” Rob’s words tumbled out of his mouth and hung heavy between them for a long moment.

“What did you tell her?” Rich asked, knowing perfectly well that there was nothing going on between them.

Rob shot him a harsh look, “What do you think I told her, Rich?” Rob put his head in his hands for a moment. 

“Why would she ask you that?” Rich was starting to recover from the shock of Molly asking such a thing of his friend. He stared at his friend intently wondering why Molly would think that about them. They did not do things that they did not do with their other friends, sure they were closer than most people but still. It was strange to think that anyone though they were together.

“Well, she to a picture of us… at… the… uh… barbecue… It was from when I brought you the, the beer. At first, when I saw it, I just saw us being normal friends…” Rob trailed off, reaching instinctively for his phone. “I wish, wish I had it to show you, but, you know, it’s on her phone. I don't think she is going to be much interested in sharing it. But, the longer I looked at it, I could see us being closer than we used to be, but, I have, like, no idea when it changed. Or what might have changed.”

“Something changed?” Rich looked uncertain as he spoke. “ And before you tell me that of course we are different since your stroke. I would like to say I am well aware of that, I just meant… you know…”

“I know.” Rob said quietly. He stood and walked around the room for a minute before returning to where he was sitting. “I went, went looking through pictures of us from recent things… I couldn't help it. I wanted to know if it was just her. I need you and me to be friends. I don't want to lose her, but I know when I told her there was nothing between us, I know she didn’t believe me.”

Rich was quiet, he knew the question that was burning his tongue to ask, but he was not sure he wanted to actually know the answer. Part of him felt, with the way Rob was acting, that he was not going to like the answer. Yet, he needed to know anyway. It was odd to think that there might be people, besides Molly who saw them and thought that they were banging. He shook his head slightly, he did not want to think about Rob and sex in the same context, it made him want to run away. Trying to keep the panic those thoughts brought to him at bay, he asked the question. “Robbie, what did you find?”

Rob looked at him and then off into the distance, no longer seeing the room, no longer present in the moment. Dread filled Rich. Rob’s silence seems to confirm Rich’s thoughts. “You take pictures of me constantly, I really didn’t think about it till I went looking. We.. um.. we are together so much we show up in each other’s search results. Even when you are looking for like our wives, we show up together.” Rob almost laughed, “We never really touch on stage, not like Misha and Jensen who never seem to stop touching, we never have though, keep a professional distance. It’s funny cause I touch everyone, everyone but you. It makes it glaringly obvious that I am making a concerted effort not to touch you… its.. umm… its… its like we orbit each other and when we are not on stage things are different. So different, we touch, we invade each others personal space.”

“We do?” Rich asked, wondering in some way if Rob was starting to see things about them that were not there because his wife was pointing them out.

“Yes, I can show you if you want.” Rob opened his phone and started typing, searching for what he had already found.

“No, not sure I could deal with it right now. I… I will believe you… But, you sure the shippers aren’t getting to you?” Rich tried to find steady ground in the conversation, hoping in a way that all of this was some kind of elaborate prank.

“Rich, there are like four people who ship us online, I mean not none, but who seriously ship us, not many. Of course we could always ask our friends what they think about this?” Rob could not help but tease his friend.

“ ‘M not sure I… we really want to know what some of them think about, Robbie.” Rob laughed breaking some of the tension that had built up in the room, and Rich just shook his head smiling at his friend. “Also not sure I wanna bring this up with them.”

“I really just want to forget the conversation ever happened in the first place. She made me promise that I would tell her if things between us changed.” 

“Well, thats awkward isn't it. What do ya wanna do ‘bout all this?” Rich asked, he was not quite sure he knew what to do about all of it at this point, but Rob had more time with it.

“Nothing, right now I need sleep. I am glad that you let this conversation take place not in public.”

“Rob, I am very grateful that I did not push. I don’t think I could have handled having this conversation in public.” Rich stood and started making his way to the door.

Rob smiled wickedly at his friend as he followed him. “Can you imagine this getting out to the fans?”

“I am not sure I even want it getting to my wife. I don’t even want to think about the trouble it could cause me, the groveling, if she thinks I am stepping out on her.” Rich shakes his head, he knew very well that Jaci would not be terribly easy to deal with if she though that something was happening between him and Rob. She would never let it go, and as much as he loved her, he was not sure if they could survive even a rumor of him cheating. “Robbie, how certain are you she did not believe you?”

“Why?” Rob looked confused again, “I really don't think she believed me. She was looking at me really closely, and whatever she saw, it must have said I was not telling the whole truth.”

“Shit, Rob.” Rich ran a hand through his long unruly hair. “Alright, we both need rest. I will see you in the morning.”

“Night, Rich.”

“Night, Robbie.” Rich let the door of his room close behind him before leaning against the wall. He had no idea how he and Rob were going to make it through this weekend. How do you act normal when all you want to do is question every action that you take towards someone? How do you act normal when you are not even sure what normal looks like anymore?


	3. While We Fought

“Rich, I could use a hand with the dragon.” Rob was making a valiant attempt at attaching the miniature dragon to his shoulder as they finished getting ready for karaoke in the green room with Matt and Osric. The rest of the cast would filter into the green room in a bit, including the rest of Louden Swain. Jensen and Jared where out enjoying the evening to themselves, probably with Misha. 

“You’ve been doin’ this for months, you’d think you'd have it down.” Rich took the dragon from him and affixed it to his shoulder, with the ease of a different angle and being able to use both hands. 

“It falls off if I don't get it on right.” Rob gripped. Matt shook his head at them, clearly amused by their banter. Rob just hoped it sounded normal, he felt like he was constantly questioning everything he was saying and doing towards Rich, it was exhausting. He honestly couldn't help it though. He had no idea what their relationship was supposed to look like, with out the intimacy they had come to share. 

“Don't know why I always have to do it, Matt’s right here.” Rich grumbled as he finished getting the finicky plastic statue attached to his friend.

“Cause you are the one who talked me into the dress in the first place. Matt just sat there and laughed. That means you get to help me get ready for the rest of the year.” Rob tested the perch of the dragon to make sure everything was right. 

“But now I have to put up with shit from your wife.” Rich snipped, clearly feeling the strain building from a long day questioning every move they were making. 

“Wow, low blow asshole.” Rob couldn't help his ire rising at Rich's words, “you want to make helping me with Kyle about Molly and her shit about us?”

“You’re the one who said I owe you.” Rich fired back, Matt looked on with surprise, he was not used to their light bickering turning into an actual fight. 

“I was joking, and I was only talking about the stupid dragon. We talked about what happened with Molly already, I had no reason to bring it up again. And certainly not in front of friends.” The stress and anxiety of the past couple of weeks seeped into Robs words. 

“I'm your friend, ya brought it up to me.” Rich gestured roughly between them, the distance between them had closed over the course of their argument

“You weren't going to leave it alone till I told you whether I wanted to tell you or not.” Rob seethed, jamming a finger into Rich’s chest. He had not wanted to have the conversation with Rich the other day and now it was coming back to bite him in the butt. “And it involves you anyway!”

“Alright you two!” Matt interrupted the argument, which was clearly getting ready to spiral out of control. “I don't know what happened, but you both need to take a chill pill.”

Rob took a step back, rubbing his hands down his face before sitting back down. He did not quite know what to say now.

“I'm sorry Robbie,” Rich spoke quietly from the seat he had taken next to him. “Not really sure how to handle things.”

“I know, it's not fair to think you're just going to be fine, me either though.” Rob bumped their shoulders together, trying to let the rest of his frustrations drain away. 

“Okay…” Matt’s eyes bounced between the two of them, clearly a bit surprised at their sudden mood shift. “Anyone want to stop being cryptic and fill me and Osric in.”

“Clearly we are being subtle for someone.” Rich teased. “Rob?”

“I… I don't know guys… it's… umm… it’s a bit personal.” Rob began stuttering out his words at the prospect of telling anyone else. It was hard enough on the two of them with out everyone knowing what was happening. Though perhaps it would help them start to figure out when things changed between them. 

“You want me to do it?” Rich asked, his hand came up to rest comfortingly on Rob's shoulder, a thumb brushing across skin. 

“I don't know.” Rob looked a bit defeated, not quite knowing what to do. 

“I could just start guessing.” Matt offered in a tone that said he wanted the tension in the room to go away.

“Please don't, I really don't want to know if you can guess this. It's bad enough that…” Rob stopped himself, realizing that the next words out of his mouth where going to be rather telling. He shifted, part of him wanted to lean into Rich, whose hand was still on his shoulder, for even more comfort. However, knew that with what he was about to say next would be taken as confirmation rather than someone seeking comfort from a friend. And sure it was probably not something he would think about doing with Matt, but that was beside the point. “M-m-molly thinks that me… and.. uh… Rich are… well you know…” Rob trailed off.

Matt looked at Rob expectantly, “you told me not to guess, but with statements like that I am not going to be able to help myself long.”

“She asked Rob if we were banging.” Rich finished the thought for Rob who was still trying to form words through his nerves. Matt looked between the pair and Rob could see Matt taking the information and looking at the pieces he had in a very different light.

“Oh… right… well I probably would have guessed that… I mean she only could have come up with so many things that involve you two that could have turned into that fight.” Matt glanced between them a bit guiltily, “I suppose I can even see where she would come up with the idea too.”

“W-w-what?” Rob looked at him gobsmacked, sure he had spent time looking through pictures and video and had a pretty good idea of where it might have come from, but to have one of their friends confirm such suspicions was a bit much. 

“Osric once asked me if you two were together, I know some of your bandmates have discussed the possibility too.” Matt shrugged as Osric joined them clearly interested in the conversation, “I am pretty sure they have settled on the idea that you are together and not telling anyone because you are both married.”

Rob gaped at his friend before glancing at Rich who seemed to be suffering from the same astonishment. “Does everyone gossip about us?” Rich groused when he was able to form words again.

“Yes? What else are we supposed to talk about? The number of times Cockles sneak off for a quicky? That's boring. It is a much better argument about you two, there are camps, those who think yes, those who think potential and those who say friends.” It was Osric’s turn to shrug while looking a bit guilty.

“Oh man.” Rob let his face fall into his hands.

“Alright guys! You're on in two minutes!” The stage manager called to them.

“Right!” Matt stood, straightening his costume, “you guys ready for this?”

“Sure.” Rich glanced at his friend who still had his head in his hands. “Give us a minute.” Rich guided Rob across the room, “you ok?”

Rob looked at his best friend who even his own band thought he was having an affair with, something he was not having an easy time coming to terms with. “No. maybe. I am not really sure what to think about all of this. What am I missing? Even the band thinks we are together.” 

“Well, whatever you are missing I am looking past it with you.” Rich reached out and wrapped his arms around his friend, pulling him in for a hug. 

“I keep second guessing everything I… we do. Is this too intimate for friends? Am I being too touchy? Are we doing couple-y things?” Rob shifted slightly against Rich. “I know it is ridiculous. It can't be worse than it already is.”

“Well, we could manage to convince everyone that we are actually together.” Rob pushed Rich away, with mock anger and a laugh. 

“That is not helpful, Richard!” Rob began fiddling with the dress, “it doesn't matter we have to get out there and do this thing.”

“Of course! The show goes on!” The pair joined Matt and they all headed to the stage on the queue of the stage manager.


	4. Out for Drinks

Rob leaned against the wall, watching his friends debate where they wanted to go for drinks now that Karaoke was over and the hotel bar was closed for the night. He was glad to be out of the Khaleesi dress again, not that he minded it too much, but he was more comfortable in his usual t-shirt and jeans. Rich was standing next to him trying to convince Matt that the bar closest to where they were staying would be just fine, Matt was arguing that if they stayed close to the hotel they were more likely to run into convention goers. At the rate this conversation was going he was just going to be tired tomorrow and grumpy because he never did get the beer they were talking about getting. 

“Let’s just go to the close bar. I feel like a walk and it’s nice out.” Mike stepped in, having a similar thought to Rob’s, and growing tired of listening to the conversation going in circles.

“Fiiiine!” Matt complained giving into the others, “If we get stopped a thousand times I am blaming you.”

“Come on Robbie, we’re finally going to get drinks.” Rich touched his shoulder to bring him into the conversation. A gesture he had made so many times it felt natural, even if now it seemed to fit into the context of a romantic entanglement that people had associated with them.

“Donno Rich, ‘m kinda tired.” Rob replied allowing himself to be guided through the halls of the hotel with the group, Rich’s hand now on the small of his back. The details of how he and Rich interacted in sharp focus, the casual closeness they shared, the glitter in Rich’s eyes as they fell into their well rehearsed rolls.

“We’re all tired. We can grab a drink, then head to bed.” Rich replied, and there were a few dispersed chuckles in the group. They had heard this interaction both scripted and in it’s raw form over and over and it never failed to make them smile.

“I don’t really need another drink, I’ve had plenty.” Rob whined, knowing two things, first of course they were going out for drinks and second, no matter what he said he was up for a bit more drinking. He had only had two beers this evening and one had been with dinner hours ago, he was nowhere near his limits.

“We’ve all had plenty.” The cool evening air hit them as they made it out of the hotel and onto the street heading to the bar. The chill of the air made Rich's body heat even more evident. “It’ll be like one drink and then we’ll head back.”

“You do know no one believes you when you say stuff like that, right?” Louden Swain’s drummer, Stephen, told Rich.

“Who cares? ’s all about talking Rob into drinking with us.” Rich replied with a shrug, sharing a wink with the drummer. 

“Like it takes that much work.” Came from somewhere behind them and the group laughed.

They walked the block to the bar without getting stopped, which was probably good since Rich had forgotten that he did not have to guide Rob the whole way there, his hand remaining in comfortable contact with Rob's back. The group was laughing about something one of the convention goers had gotten for a photo op that was particularly awkward, but incredibly funny now that it was just a memory. The bar was moderately crowded when they arrived, but none of them saw anyone they recognized right off the bat from having been at the convention over the last couple of days. 

The group moved to the bar and grabbed the first round of drinks. Rob realized that Rich’s hand was no longer pressed into his lower back, and the absence of its warmth drew his attention.  
Once drinks where in hand the group wove through the other patrons and found a corner that was not too crowded to establish as their base for the evening.

By his second beer, Rob found himself leaning into Rich who was now pressed against his entire side in the booth. They were laughing at some story that he had heard a hundred times being told by the guys in his band. Osric said something to Matt that made him laugh uproariously, but he could not hear it, but he had a feeling that it was something about him and Rich since he felt Rich’s laughter die rather abruptly. Rob looked curiously over at them, and gave Rich a questioning look. 

“’s nothing.” Rich told him, even though it was clear whatever had been said had gotten to him. Rob raised his eyebrows and turned back to the other guys at the table, who had moved on to another tale filled with laughter. However, he could not quite get into the story, he had become acutely aware of Rich’s mood, and it was not improving. 

It took a bit but Rob managed to drag Rich off to the bar to go get a refill on their beers. “What’s up?”

“Told ya, ’s nothing.” Rich grumbled, avoiding eye contact with his friend, whose critical gaze made him shift uneasily.

“Not nothing.” Rob pushed the issue, knowing that there was something bothering his friend a great deal.

“Fine.” Rich paused. “Osric was commenting about us actin’ like a couple.”

Rob looked at him for a moment, “Oh.” He grabbed the one of the beers the bar tender sat in front of them. “Were we acting like a couple?”

“No. I don’t know. Yes.” Rich said clearly frustrated with the situation, he looked down at the beer bottle in his hand.

“Right.” Rob took a sip of his drink and came to a decision about monitoring his every moment towards his friend. “You know what, right now, I don't care. I am tired of worrying about it all the time. Let’s go back to the group, act however we want and have a good time, that is why you dragged me out here.”

When they had made their way back to the group Osric immediately flagged them down. “Did you see the Khaleesi cosplay in the audience?”

“Which one?” Rob asked, “There were a couple.”

“The one that looked just like the TV version.” Osric gushed, making it rather clear that if they had seen it it would be well remembered. 

“I’m not sure I saw that one.” Rob shrugged, trying to ignore how close Rich was standing to him. “They all look better than me in the dress though.”

“Never!” Matt shouted in a fake appalled voice, “You are the most beautiful man in a dress!”

Rob laughed, “I highly doubt that!” 

“Common, Osric, you definitely have the body for it, and you definitely looked amazing in the Castiel Dress.” Rich chimed in, acting like he was not incredibly uncomfortable with the idea that they had been acting like a couple in front of their friends with out being aware of it. 

“He’s right, Master Chau.” Rob smirked at Osric, Matt was laughing that his friends had turned the conversation so quickly against Osric. 

“Hi!” A young woman’s voice interrupted the conversation. “I love you guys so much. You’re all great actors. Would you guys mind taking a photo with me?”

“Of course not, who all do you want in the photo?” Rich asked the young woman..

“All of you!” The young woman excitedly responded. 

It took them a few minutes to take the photo, before the woman wondered back off to her friends. The group settled back into random conversations about the convention so far. Rich draped an arm around Rob and swiftly stole his beer and took a swig. “Hey!” Rob shouted indignantly, “That is mine, ya know where the bar is, get your own.”

“That’s no fun.” The man smirked, “And anyway yours is right here.”

“Sooo not ok!” Rob stole his beer back, and took a sip out of it, before Rich reached back to take it back. “Mine!” Rob cried as he held the bottle as far away from Rich as he could. 

“Awww, come on.” Rich teased, before switching tactics and tickling Rob causing the man to curl in on himself, bringing the beer close enough for Rich to steal again.

“Please tell me you got this!” Matt giggled to Osric, who had has phone pointed at the two men.

“Yep!” Osric chirped, “I need proof about their flirting. Bets to win.”

“So, not flirting!” Rob cried indignantly as he attempted to get his beer back. “ He’s stealin’ my drink!”

“Is that what we’re calling it now?” Matt laughed.

Rob won his beer back and upended the bottle drained its contents before Rich could take it back. “Riiich! You said one drink, its been way more than that. I need sleep. We gotta be up early.” 

“Fine.” Rich grumped lightly, “Must get the princess back to the hotel. Anyone coming with us?”

There was a chorus of voices saying they were coming, and soon they were back out in the night air giggling their way back to the hotel for a precious few hours of sleep.


	5. While Getting Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> A warning... if you noticed I updated the tags. There is a part of this chapter where Rob gets off in the shower... It's short and I don't think it's super explicit but it is there.
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

Rob was jolted out of a deep sleep by the alarm on his phone going off. He grabbed it and turned off the offensive noise, before rolling onto his back and trying to wake himself up some more. He only had an hour before he needed to be down at the convention, but he really did not want to move. 

With a groan he rolled over and sat up, he was still exhausted from how late they were out the previous evening. However, it had been worth it; he and Rich had needed to relax after all of the shit that had been going on between them, and nothing good was going to come from them being super stressed at their panel latter today. If their normal chemistry was off the fans would notice.

He quickly dug through his bags and found clothes and Advil before heading to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Last night had made it clear to him that no matter what he told anyone about his and Rich’s relationship things had changed since his conversation with his wife a week ago. He was not sure if it was better or worse, but it certainly had changed. His argument with Rich the previous day was not as concerning, after so many hours of worrying about how their relationship was being perceived it was not surprising that the stress had just exploded. 

Stepping into the dim hotel shower he let the water flow over him as he though about everything that had happened, and how easy it was to flirt with his friend the previous evening. It wasn't that it was hard for him to interact with people like that, he did it all the time, most of it was just show though. Not that it wasn't exactly real, it was just played up with Misha or Briana or Kim. When it came to Rich though, it wasn't pretend, it wasn't played up. It had been the natural flow of their relationship, and it had certainly been flirtatious. 

A small amount of embarrassment filled him when he remembered that Osric had been filming some of this. He was torn between never wanting the video to see the light of day and wanting to have a copy of that moment at his fingertips to replay. He was beginning to wonder about why he had a desire to have these things in easy access, why he was attached to the images of them behaving like a couple.

His thoughts wondered past the platonic flirting that they did, and to what it would be like if it where to turn towards the romantic. There was a sense that last night had been crossing a line between the jokes of friends and the banter of lovers. The problem was he was not sure that it actually was a problem for him anymore. As he finished washing his hair his mind began detailing what it would be like to simply kiss the other man. What would it feel like for their beards to drag against each other, the rough drag of stubble across stubble. The fantasy of Rich’s hands on his skin, twining his own fingers in the curls at the nape of Rich’s neck. He let his hand slide down to his cock, which was hard just from thinking about his friend.

He pushed away the slight twinge of guilt as his hand slid along his member. He focused his thoughts back on daydreaming about sliding his hands and mouth over his friends body. He twisted his fingers under the head of his cock as he began to think about Rich kneeling in front of him and taking his cock into his mouth. He slid his thumb over the head letting the fantasy continue with the other man teasing him till he came with a startled shout. 

As he rinsed himself off, the guilt came crashing back. How was he supposed to face his friend having thought about him like this? What the heck was he thinking? Obviously he had not been thinking, otherwise he would have realized that what he had just done was a terrible idea, before he had done it. They had to work together, they were friends, him thinking about Rich in a sexual way was only going to make everyone thinking they were already together even more complicated than it already was. But it was too late now, he had already let his mind go there. 

Sighing he turned off the water. Moving around his hotel room he finished getting ready for the day, and tried to forget what he had imagined doing by going over set lists for the day in his head and the order of guests for them to announce. He made sure he had his key card and his phone before walking down the hall to Rich’s room, to face the man he was not sure he wanted to see right away, but had no good reason to avoid.

Rob knocked on his friends door, and was let in after a moment, with a gesture from Rich telling him to keep quiet. Rich pointed to the phone and mouthed his wife's name. “I understand that Molly said me an Rob were together. I know about the whole thing. Me an Rob already talked about it. We’re nothin’ but friends.” Rich explained, and Rob gathered that while Molly had dropped the subject with Rob, but she had brought it up with someone else. “He’s not my type, darlin’”

Rob quietly sat down in the desk chair, trying not to let the hurt from Rich's statement show, it's not like he had just said something surprising. He pulled out his phone, desperate for a distraction, while Rich continued to try to defend himself against his wife. Rob couldn't blame her for her inquisition, he would want to know the details of the situation himself if he was not stuck in the middle of it. He pulled up twitter and began going through his mentions seeing a number of photos from Karaoke the previous evening. He attempted to let the images of them entertaining the crowed hold his attention, rather than tracing lines of his friends body that he had thought of in explicit detail not twenty minutes ago, something that left him even more conflicted after his friends statement of disinterest. 

Rob looked up to see Rich pacing, a hand running through his hair, which looked like it had been neatly done at one point was now a disaster. A part of Rob wanted to go over and stop Rich from ruining it further, but he stopped himself. They were just friends, and that was far more intimate than he would do with his other friends. He was not sure he really would be able to go there with out their relationship heading farther down the path to romantic entanglement. 

“I don’t know what to tell you. The fans, well, they write shit like that as a form of affection, it really doesn't mean anything. They write about all of their favorite characters like that. Just cause it is written, drawn, what-not doesn’t mean it’s real.” Rob raised an eyebrow at this part of the conversation, Jaci had clearly found fandom, not a great place for any of them to spend too much time, even if they loved their fans dearly. “I gotta go, I need to finish getting ready.”

Rich smiled at something Jaci said on the other end of the line that Rob could not hear. “I love ya too Darlin’” He lowered the phone and tapped the end call button and turned to Rob. “Well, that was an exciting way to start the morning.”

“She’s upset?” Rob asked, even though he already knew the answer to that question, it had been rather clear from Rich’s pacing if nothing else. 

“Of course she is, more that I didn’t tell her anything was going on between us rather than that anything was going on between us. We are going to have to have a long talk when I get home. Over the phone is no way to have that conversation.” Rich shrugged. “She likes you, she is uncomfortably comfortable with our relationship.”

“T-that is, that's somewhat disconcerting.” Rob looked at his friend. “Can we bottle that comfort and give some of it to Molly? Why did she talk to Jaci about all of this anyway?”

“I think I am going to need some before it gets to Molly.” Rich ran a hand through his hair again. “I really don't know, but we should head to breakfast before we have to work all day.”

“You should fix your hair first.” Rob smirked, “Looks like you just had sex.”

Rich ran a hand unceremoniously through his hair again as if he could discern it's disheveled state by touch. Rob’s mind promptly began replaying the images that had gotten him off that morning in the shower. He pushed those thoughts aside as he followed Rich to the bathroom, where Rich picked up his comb to deal with the unruly mess that was his hair.

“Wouldn’t wanna give people more ideas about us.” Rich quickly fixed his hair with Rob watching him. His movements were swift and filled with the precision of having dealt with this problem before. “Right, that’s as good as it’s gunna get. Now breakfast, ‘m starving.”


	6. Before the Concert

“Rob.” Billy called to get Rob's attention as they climbed off the stage from sound check. They had an hour or so now until they had to be back on stage.

“What?” Rob snapped, he knew practice hadn't been great. He was distracted, and knowing that was not making it any better. This whole day had been rougher than he had thought when he got out of bed this morning.

“Don’t take your bad mood out on me." Billy said as he pulled him off to the side of the green room. "What's up with you this weekend?"

“I--I have a few, ya know, personal things going on. It’s just thrown me off my A-game a bit.” Rob was not sure he wanted to go through all of this again with someone else. Sure he loved Billy, the man was a good friend, but he never had told him about everything that went on in his head.

“It’s not just your A game its thrown you off, you've got no focus. Hey man, the fans love you, they will take anything you throw at them, but you are not going to be happy if you are as scattered during the concert as you were at sound check.” Billy words carried all of the concern of a friend who was pretty sure the man in front of him was falling apart. 

“I know. I know.” Rob ran his hands nervously through his hair. He had to figure out how to get his energy, his focus back. He hadn't been this off in years. Being on stage usually came with its own energy and focus, but not tonight. Tonight all of that seemed to be failing him.

“You should deal with what ever your fighting with Rich about before the concert.” Billy suggested. The guitarist comments crashed into him, reminding him of everything that was wrong with his relationships. Everything he was trying to avoid talking about with his friend.

“We’re not fighting.” Rob said defensively, knowing that while it was the truth it wasn’t everything. He and Rich were not fighting, but things weren’t smooth between them either. They were just not in a great place with their relationship, it was different, and an hour was most certainly not going to be enough time to fix things between them. It felt more complicated then that.

“Really.” Billy looked genuinely surprised. “‘Cause you two have kept pretty good distance between you all weekend. You barely speak, it certainly looks like your fighting.”

“It wasn't a fight with him. It was a fight about him.” Rob admitted, Billy was a good friend and would hopefully understand that he did not want to talk about this in detail. He needed some more time to work it out for himself, he needed to know what he wanted, and that kept seeming to change.

“You and Molly got into it about Rich? I figured she already knew you two were a thing.” The other man leaned against the wall as he spoke words that made Rob wish he was not having this conversation just off stage at a convention. No, he wished he was not having this conversation at all.

“Billy, we've never been a thing.” Rob's exasperation was not just at Billy but everyone this weekend. He was so tired of telling everyone he and Rich were not together and never had been. It felt like it had been a constant struggle against perception the whole weekend.

“Seriously?” Billy was looking at him like he was messing with him, “'cause last night you two looked like you were definitely together. And I could have sworn you two got together years ago."

“Yes! Seriously.” Rob nearly shouted, his voice high pitched in his flustered state.

“You two date as much as I have ever seen a couple date. I was always impressed, you two balance so much and it seems to go pretty well most of the time.” It was clear to Rob that Billy was trying to reconcile everything he had seen over the years with what Rob was now telling him. “If you two aren’t together than why were you and Molly fighting about Rich?”

“This! This same thing. This exact misinterpretation of our relationship.” Rob gestured almost violently as he spoke with his voice on a roller coaster of pitches. He was tired of repeating the same things over and over, tired of people pointing out ways they were together, he felt as if he was pushing a boulder up a hill. It was exhausting. 

“She thinks you are dating Rich. But you say you aren't." The summation of the last week of his life was very strange to hear from someone else.

“Yes.” Rob looked down at his feet trying to find something to tether himself to so he wouldn't freak out more than he already was.

“I can see where she would think that. You two really do date, even if you haven't realized it.” Billy tilted his head and looked at his friend, seemingly pondering his memories of Rob and Rich acting like a couple.

“What do you mean we date?” Rob narrowed his eyes, his brain finally catching on to the thing that Billy had told him twice now.

“I mean sure you two have your work meetings, and you wrote a show together, but like you go out for drinks at least once a week and it’s not really about work. You have written at least one song about him, I have my suspicions about a couple of others. He comes to band practices when he can.” Billy ticked things off on his fingers as he thought of them. “Oh you two travel together as much as you can, and don't feed me some shit about Rich’s fear of flying, because you take the train together too.”

“I know but we are friends, friends spend time together, they keep each other company.” Rob tried. This conversation was not going to help his concentration for the rest of the evening.

“Sure, we spend time together. We go out with the group and hang. We talk, we text. Mostly about music but still.” Rob started to respond but Billy stopped him, “You two went through a lot with your stroke, but you two have always been close, and I know that doesn’t mean much but there is something little about all your interactions that has made it clear that it is not a friendship.”

“Great. So if we have been dating for that long, but we did not even realize it, what does that make us?” Rob reached for his phone, as it buzzed with a text message. He glanced at his phone and saw it was from Rich, Rob tried not to sigh out loud.

“I don’t really know. But you and Rich need to seriously figure it out, it’s not good for the band.” Billy looked pointedly at the phone that Rob was holding. “Also, we need you focused tonight."

“Yeah, yeah.” Rob opened his text message as they moved into the main part of the green room.

Going to change for the concert. Need anything while I am upstairs?

He texted back that he was good before finding a place to settle and get himself ready for the concert.

“What’d your boyfriend want?” Stephen asked, having not been privileged to the conversation that Rob had just had with Billy.

“Nothing.” Rob answered flopping down on the sofa, not wanting to correct the assumptions about him and Rich. He had grabbed his acoustic on the way through the green room and began picking out a few cords.

“Oh so your ok with him calling Rich your boyfriend.” Billy teased.

“No, I just don’t care enough right now. I can’t fight every single one of my friends and family about this.” Rob wished he could ignore them all, but that was not in the cards. They had less than an hour before they had to be on stage and everything was set up so there was not much left to do but wait for all of the people who would be coming up on stage with them to show up and to make sure everyone knew when they were supposed to be on stage. He wanted to focus on his job again and not have all of these thoughts about him and Rich floating around in his head. He could not even write about it right now, there were too many people around who had no idea what was happening and he just did not need that all over the place. Though the way everyone he had talked to seemed to talk about it, he shouldn't be worrying so much.

His band mates talked around him as he sat trying to sort his thoughts. His mind drifted back to his shower this morning, and he could not help but feel guilty all over again that he could let himself think of Rich in such a way. He could barely acknowledge that perhaps they were closer than he had ever thought of them. So if Molly was right and this was inevitable, no that was not something he was ready to deal with. Things needed to just go back to how they were. Him and Rich being friends.

Then he remembered that Molly had gone and talked to Jaci who had in turn called Rich to see what was up. Why had Molly thought that talking to Jaci would be a good idea. Of course he had a pretty good idea that Molly probably thought that he and Rich had talked about this earlier in the week even if she had not seen them speak to each other about it. But she shouldn't have gone behind their backs to talk about her suspicions. He had never known Molly to be so untrusting about something. She might have been a lawyer but she still trusted Rob, at least she used to.

“Robbie. You have five minutes.” Rich startled Rob out of his musings with his sudden proclamation.

“Right.” Rob sat up and allowed his mind to focus back on the present. “Sorry about that.”

“You got your focus back?” Billy asked

“I hope so.” Rob stood up and jumped around a bit, getting his energy back up. This was going to be awesome. It always was. Communing with the crowed through music. It was like nothing else. All he had to do was find his A-game. “Right, Lets do this!”


	7. In the Greenroom

Rich came into the green room the next morning carrying a tray with two huge coffees on it in one hand and a bag clearly containing food in the other. The sight of him well pressed to start the day was a pleasant sight. Rob sat up at the prospect coffee and food, they had been up extremely late signing things after the concert the night before, and he was pretty sure he had too much to drink again if his headache was anything to go by. Rob was pretty sure that caffeine was about the only thing that was going to keep him on his feet today. The good news was that they were going to be done by three and then they would be getting on a plane to head back to LA. 

“Coffee?” Rob asked giving Rich puppy dog eyes, as if one of the large cups was not already for him.

“Nope, brought sleepy time tea.” Rich handed him one of the coffees, their fingers brushing as Rob took the cup. Rob tried not to think about the contact, “Breakfast?”

“Yes please!” Rob took a sip of the warm coffee that Rich had fixed exactly how he liked it. Rob took the food containers he was offered and got down to eating. Rich sat nearly touching him, even though there was almost no one else in the green room, and he could have sat anywhere. J2’s morning panel was about half over and they were going to need to be on stage all too soon. “Hey, I was thinking we should try to get together this week, outside of work. We have to go over plans for going to Rome and probably some Kings of Con stuff.”

“Don’t we have almost six weeks before we are going to be in Rome?” Rich asked between bites, seeing through Rob’s feeble excuses for them to get together later in the week. Rich knew they needed to talk but there was no way he was going to be ready for that kind of heart to heart any time soon. 

“I know, but we leave the Wednesday before the con and don't get back till the next Wednesday. I need to know if we are flying together or if you have to go back before the Jailbreak concert.” Rob offered an excuse that wasn’t a huge deal to him, but would seem important enough. He preferred having Rich at his concerts, it was nice to know that he had a friend in the audience. But Rich was at so many of them, so not being able to make one or two was not a big deal. 

“I should be there for your concert, However, I will need to make sure I am ready for filming and we are going to have to spend part of this time finalizing our guest list for that.” Rich did not look up at him as he spoke, instead focusing on his food, frustrating Rob who wanted his full attention.

“Oh that’s exciting.” Mike commented as he wondered through the green room with Billy and Stephen, “Rich will be there for the Jailbreak concert.”

“Oh that is good news.” Billy gave Rob and Rich a wave as they made their way over to the corner they had commandeered Friday. 

“Do you have time this week to do something that does not involve work?” Rob shifted so that their shoulders bumped gently as he spoke, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched, and knowing that the gesture would not be missed by his band mates.

“I do need to spend some time with the kids this week, but next weekend?” Rich looked over at him this time, though his eyes just looked tired rather than terribly interested in what they were planning. He knew putting it off was not the best choice for either of them but Rich was not ready to face the fact that everyone thought that they were in a relationship, and that relationship was not friendship. He was not ready to see himself in a light that he had never examined himself in, that light was meant for others not himself.

“You putting me off?” Rob raised an eyebrow at his friend, hoping that the man would respond better to teasing.

“You got me!” Rich snarked. “I still have to spend some time with the boys, and my wife.”

“I am aware of that. I want to spend time with my family too.” Rob conceded, he knew the other man had obligations other than spending time with him, even though the weekend had made it clear they had things to talk about. It was going to take time, and once they were back there were studio sessions and Kings of Con meetings, and other filming sessions that they were going to have to take into consideration as well as family obligations. “Next Saturday then.”

“You two have the most interesting conversations.” Misha crashed into the chair across from them, startling them both. 

“You expect comedy at all hours of the day?” Rich raised an eyebrow at the man who had interrupted their conversation.

“Of course not, I know you both better than that.” Misha brushed off Rich’s rough mood.

“I am just glad you did not come in here live streaming, so the whole world would know we are terribly boring old men guzzling coffee and hoping we can stay awake between obligations.” Rich's snark reached a new level. Rob could tell his mood had nothing to do with Misha, though he couldn't tell if he was just tired or if something was bothering him, and with these constant interruptions he was unlikely to find out anytime soon.

“I heard through the grapevine that all is not well in your paradise.” Misha commented, “Though from the looks of it you have kissed and made up.”

“And just who have you been discussing that with?” Rich said defensively, despite Misha's relaxed posture. Rob blushed a bit at the insinuation, a little voice in his head reminded him that he did not usually react to such comments about them like this. This time it didn't help that he was perfectly aware that they were sitting just a bit too close.

“Well, since everyone talks about you two, I will say, anyone who felt like gossiping this weekend.” Misha looked particularly relaxed. “I know a thing or two about navigating these kinds of relationships, give me a holler if you need a hand.”

“I— we— I think our relationship is none of everyone’s business.” Rob blustered, not sure what to do with the fact that Misha was offering them relationship advice for a relationship that did not exist, one that might never exist. Though, after the last couple of days Rob was not so sure about that. While he was pretty sure him and Rich were just friends, that might not actually be so true.

“I have an hour before I need to be on stage, I think they want me to be taking pictures or something.” Misha wondered out of the room, passing Mark who was up next for his panel, leaving them trying to figure out what exactly had just happened.

“Gents.” Mark greeted the scattered people who were in the green room this early.

“Mark.” Rich stood brushing the invisible wrinkles out of his clothes. Rich was glad they were about to go out on stage, it meant that they would not have to talk about all of the things that they needed to, and he would have more time to think.

Rob set his now nearly empty coffee cup on the table next to his phone and stood as well, though he did not bother trying to get himself anymore presentable than he already was. He saw their handler signaling that J2 was about out of time, they would come off the stage before Rob and Rich were going to hop up there to introduce Mark.

———————

They came off stage, they were going to head over to do autographs between when they were needed on stage and then they had photos. Rob reached into his pocket to check the time, realizing it was not there. Then he spotted the device sitting innocently on the table. “Shit.”

“What?” Rich asked looking up from his own phone, Rob pointed at his phone on the table, “Ohhoh.”

“So supportive.” Rob snarked going to pick up the phone he had left behind while Jensen and Jared had wondered through the green room. He hoped that they had not had time to stop, but that was dim. He picked it up and clicked the screen on and nearly dropped it. His home screen had been replaced by a piece of fan art of Rich dressed in nothing but a pair of lacy panties. “Oh shit.”

“Wha’d they do?” Rich laughed at Rob who was now blushing in earnest. He came and tried to look over Robs shoulder, but the screen was already black. “Can’t be that bad.”

“It’s worse than that.” Rob trying to tuck the thing in his pocket dreading trying to find some time to look through his phone and put it back to rights.

“Ahh come on, let me see!” Rich grabbed Rob’s hand to keep him from hiding the phone away and clicked on the screen and stopped. “Well, that is… I… I certainly never thought I would see myself dressed like that… I kinda look sexy don't I?”

“Come on.” Rob tried to wrest his arm away from Rich to hide his phone so he could deal with the problem of the phone later, when he was alone. Rich let him go but he was still standing incredibly close his body heat radiating thorough Rob, he hoped he was not blushing as tucked the phone away.

“Aren’t you curious about what else they did to your phone.” Rich prodded, wanting to know himself, it was never just one thing.

“Right this second, no. I am terrified. You know how fast Jared works.” Rob sighed, “The background is awkward enough.”

“You could just change it before we go out in public and you forget that you have me looking very sexy on your phone.” Rich teased, mischief glinting in his eyes at the minor annoyance the boys had caused. 

“Not helpful. It is probably all in Japanese or something.” Rob started walking towards the door. Rich put a hand on his shoulder.

“What got a bee in your bonnet about this?”  
“Riiicch.” Rob whined, he just wanted this to go away.

“Don’t Rich me. What’s up.”

“Fine. My contacts were up. I was looking for a number and then I was thinking about calling Molly when you came in with breakfast. I know that if they got to the background they got to the contacts and I am not sure I really want to know what they did to them.”

“It can’t be that bad.” Rob could tell he was trying not to laugh, he knew it was going to be terrible. He knew it was going to be horrible.

“Ya said that about the background too, and you know how Jared is.” Rob deflected.

“I do.” Rich was still chuckling as he spoke, Rob knew he was a few sentences away from Rich talking him into opening the phone back up to see what else had been tampered with.

“I am trying to avoid the problem and hope that it goes away.” Rob tried, nothing good could come from him knowing right this second what was wrong with his phone.

“Procrastination does not make problems better. Though it would be fantastic to see the face of the fan who sees that background.” And Rich had won. Rob sighed and pulled his phone back out. The saucy fan art greeted him again when he clicked on the screen and unlocked his phone. The background was under his app icons as well, but other than that the whole thing looked rather and suspiciously innocent. He clicked into the settings and quickly changed the background to something less sexy, and definitely less Rich. 

Rich hovered over his shoulder watching him, he paused before clicking on his phone icon and took a deep breath. This was where things could really be, well interesting for the lack of a better word. When he clicked on it and his contacts loaded he nearly dropped his phone.

I love Richard Speight Jr

Had replaced every single one of his contacts except for one.

I'm Richard Speight Jr

“Well they certainly went to town on this.” Rich commented though his voice was quiet, he had not quite been prepared for what they were seeing, he was expecting something funny not something that hit quite so close to home. 

The feeling of Rich being so close to him all of a sudden felt like it was almost too much. Rob did not know what to do. On one hand he could play it off like just a joke from J2 or he could turn around and tell Rich it was definitely true. Neither of those sounded like a good plan. This was his friend, he could not just go around telling him he had any sort of feelings for him beside friendship and he did not want to play it off incase this was not some unrequited whatever.

“What has you two distracted? You are needed for the autograph line.” One of the handlers interrupted them, saving Rob from having to decide what to do about this. He was grateful that Rich had made him change the background though as they headed out for the last day of the con.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the fan art mentioned in this is real, and I had seen it the day I wrote this chapter... so for your viewing [ pleasure! ](https://krisn5.tumblr.com/post/154246541127/madamelibrarian-ladydrace-quercusrubra)


	8. At Home

Rob walked into his bright kitchen Monday morning a little after ten. He had collapsed the night before and slept for almost fifteen hours. He was a bit surprised to see his wife sitting at the kitchen island looking through the news paper, having expected her to be at work already. "Morning." He greeted her and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"You sleep at all this weekend?" Molly commented on how long he had slept. She was used to him being out for the count when he finally got home from conventions, but he rarely slept quite so long.

"Of course. It just is never enough, plus it was a bit more stressful this time than it usually is." Rob poured himself coffee and could not help but think about the fact that yesterday morning Rich had brought him coffee and breakfast.

"Why was this weekend any different?" She asked looking surprised, clearly having no idea the upheaval she had caused in his life.

"Really? Perhaps it was that after me and Rich talked about what you and I talked about we spent the whole weekend trying not to act so close. Then every time we talked to someone they asked what was wrong they were far more surprised that we weren't in an intimate relationship than that there were some problems. The most disappointed I saw anyone was Billy who was apparently always very impressed with the fact that we managed to have two successful relationships. I think it crushed him when I told him it wasn't true." Rob took a huge breath after the long-winded rant about the weekend, finally able to sip his coffee, his hands trembling with the emotional release. 

"Poor Billy." Molly chuckled, the look of heartbreak on Billy’s face easy to imagine.

"It's not funny!" Indignation tinged Rob's voice his mug clattered loudly against the counter. 

"Of course not. How are you and Rich doing?" She asked, schooling her features.

"I don't actually know. Thursday after we talked I thought we were ok, but I really don't know. It's hard to tell." He shifted, wanting to pace, but having no desire to seem like he was running away from the conversation. Molly ran her hand up and down his arm hoping to soothe him.

"Are you ok?" She asked, he knew that she probably did not mean for all of this to happen when she talked to him about all of this the other weekend. 

"No." He admitted turning to face her fully, the stress and wear of the weekend apparent on his face despite the long hours of sleep that he had gotten.

"You want to talk about what's bugging you?" Molly pressed, genuinely concerned for her husband. She knew he was prone to getting worked up about things, and that stress compounded in other aspects of their life.

"No. maybe. If I don't talk to you I am actually not sure who to talk to about it, but..." Rob always talked to her or Rich when things got really bad, or he might talk to a few other people about things, but he really did not want this getting out farther than it already was. But it was not exactly something he wanted to talk to her about. He looked out the window feeling lost.

"I am the one who brought it up, Rob. I have always thought there was something more there. It's not something I haven't thought about. I honestly didn't realize that this would send you into an emotional crisis." Molly pulled him into the living room as she spoke, setting them on the sofa facing each other.

"Molly, everything throws me, it's a default setting. You should have seen me when we first were getting together. I was in panic mode for almost six months before I settled into it. I was a wreck for both of our children. That is not what even bothers me about this whole thing."

"I don't remember that from when we were getting together, though knowing you like I do, I am really not that surprised. What is bothering you about this?"

"I-- I, well, I think I have a thing for him, not a normal Rob has a crush thing either, well like years ago it mighta been that." Rob fought his inclination to get up and walk. He toyed with a pick he found in his pocket. "But a lot of those things just go away after a while. I like people. If they are good people I like them a lot, but you know that."

"I do."

"But us talking made me think about me and Rich. Like, I went browsing on the internet, I knew you saw something I wondered if the fans did." Rob looked down at what his hands were doing rather than at Molly who was sitting looking rather calm about everything.

"Do they?" 

"Some. There is a big push back about men just being able to be friends. It's almost as complicated for them as it is for us. But then like the whole weekend everyone was telling us that we definitely act like we are together. And I was seeing it by the end." Smiling as he thought about the other man bringing him a perfectly prepared cup of coffee, and the way he looked flustered and flushed at the background Jared and Jensen had chosen for his phone. The way his body fit next to his own so easily when they were hanging out at the bar.

"But?" Molly prompted.

"But" Rob looked up and met her gaze, "Rich said I am not his type."

"And when did he say that?" 

"Saturday morning, to his wife." Rob lost the battle to stay seated. He got up and began pacing the living room.

"Are you sure he meant that?" Molly held up a hand when Rob spun to face her, "before you answer, he was probably feeling cornered talking to his wife, with you in the room."

"I don't know. I shouldn't care, he is my friend." Rob ran a hand through his hair, anxiety taking hold again. He was getting worked up thinking about this, he wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it, much less with his wife. 

"But you do care." Her eyes held sympathy as she spoke. She knew how easily her husband gave his heart, he could love everything and everyone given the opportunity. 

"Yes." Rob admitted barely above a whisper. His voice turned mocking as he spoke again, "I feel like a teenager, do you think my crush likes me? Or is it all in my head?" 

"Have you two talked again?"

"No, next weekend." Rob flopped back onto the sofa next to her.

"Can you make it that long?" Molly asked skeptically, clearly knowing him all too well.

"Saying I'm impatient." Rob quirked an eyebrow at his wife.

"Saying that if you stew too long nothing good comes of it." She patted him on his knee

"He said he needed to spend time with his family. I didn't want to push too hard." Rob explained, he definitely wanted to talk sooner, but he did not want to force Rich into a conversation before he was ready. 

"That is not going to work out, I can't deal with you being mopey about this all week." 

"I can try again. We have meetings for kings of con all week." Rob thought about his week’s schedule. "I am worried he won't be ready to talk so quickly."

"If it is just your staff I am sure that they will be more than happy to let you have a few hours to sort yourselves out, and whether or not he is ready it's going to have to happen for both of you. If you can't pull it off I will get Jaci to help me lock you two in a room to talk again." 

"I am a grown man, I think I can handle getting my best friend to talk to me." Rob huffed.

"I have my doubts. You have till Wednesday." Molly informed him

"Right." Rob stretched out, kicking his legs out, "Now, you took this morning off for a reason, and it was not dealing with my extra marital relationship."

"Of course not!" She moved towards him, giving him a sultry look. He brought his hand up to her hip, drawing her closer.

"Even with everything going on with Rich." Rob asked curiously.

"I figured that was going on for a long time, it hasn't changed anything." She straddled his lap bending slightly to kiss him thoroughly. "Now. I have to get to work after lunch. But we have a bit. Feel like reuniting."

"When you put it that way." Rob let his wife pull him down the hall to their bedroom


	9. At Work

Rich was hunched over his phone at the conference table when Rob made it to their office just after noon. He was not too worried that he had missed the morning, since he knew that they rarely scheduled anything the day after they got back from a convention. With all of the traveling they knew they were just as likely to get in on time as they were to get delayed. 

“Hi.” He sat down access from his friend, setting down his travel mug of coffee.

“Nice to see you made it today.” Rich snipped, sparing him a glance before looking back down at what he was working on. It had already been a long day. Dealing with Rob being chatty was not exactly high on his todo list.

“Whatcha working on?” Rob asked, he probably needed to head into his office and start checking email soon, but for right now he could bug his friend and ignore his bad mood. Rob idly wondered if Rich was tired or if he was upset that Rob had not been there earlier.

“Social media stuff.” Rich stated.

“Right.” Rob looked him over a bit more carefully and then around the office to see who else was around. Finding that most of the office had cleared out for at least a little while, which struck him as a bit unusual since they were supposed to be finalizing all of the things for Kings of Con. Just because they had no meetings did not mean that there was no work to be done. “Rich?”

“What?” Rich’s sharp reply let Rob know all was not well, and he promptly decided that he was not going to ignore it.

“You ok?” Rob asked.

“Fine.” The answer was flat, and he did not bother to even look over at the man who was pestering him.

“Really? ‘cause you don’t sound fine.” Rob knew he was poking a bear, but if Rich wouldn't let him keep things to himself he was not going to let Rich do it either.

“Yes. I’m fine.” Rich growled in irritation.

“I know that’s not true.” Rob gestured around the rather empty office, there were a number of people who should be around but weren’t. Not that he expected them to be here at all times but a Monday just after lunch was a time he usually saw people.

“Still fine.” Rich grumbled, glanced up and then buried himself back in his phone.

“Molly gave me till Wednesday to get you to talk to me about our relationship, otherwise she is going to get Jaci to help her lock us in a room until we get this sorted.” Rob informed his friend, it was something of a non-sequitur but he had a feeling with everything that had happened this weekend he was on the right track.

“Not everything is about you.” Rich slammed down his phone as he spoke this time, startling Rob. 

“While I don’t generally think everything is about me, if it was about something else, you would have already told me.” Rob reasoned, taking a deep breath, he hoped he was right in this case. If he wasn’t he was going to look like a giant asshole. “And you certainly wouldn't be telling me you are fine.”

“Really, Rob?” Rich was incredibly irritated with his friend, he did not need him poking at everything that was wrong this morning. This weekend had been filled with thoughts and emotions that revolved around his friend that he was not ready to admit to let alone examine in depth. 

"Yes.” Rob looked confident for a split second before shrugging and looking less sure. “Okay so there might be a few things that you might not be quite so willing to tell me, I mean, I can think of very few things that would make you this grumpy that you would not want to tell me about.”

“I— What the fuck. Really?” Rich ran a hand through his hair, which was already a mess.

“Yes, we have been best friends for years, not a lot we haven't talked about. So unless little Richard didn't perform then its about me.” Rob half teasingly questioned.

“And if I am not ready to talk about it?” Rich suddenly looked uncomfortable, he fidgeted with his phone. 

“Ha! it's so about me!” Rob smirked at the man sitting across from him, who turned a rather charming shade of pink, while giving him a disgruntled look. One that defiantly gave Rob some interesting thoughts about how far that blush might spread. He needed to stop that train of thought before it got out of control.

“Will ya leave it alone?” Rich pushed back from the table.

“No.” Rob turned so it would be easier to get up if he needed to follow Rich around the office.

“Why not?” Rich pressed his hands down on the table so he was leaning threateningly into Rob's personal space.

“Because.” Rob held his ground, just because Rich was upset did not mean that it was time to give up and walk away. It meant he was right.

“That is not an answer.” Rich grumbled running a hand through his hair, he really did not want to have this conversation. Having had another conversation with Jaci about the subject had been more than enough, and now Rob was pushing.

“You pushed me on this last week.I get— I get to push you today. You did not care if I was ready to talk about this or not. W-we spent the whole weekend dealing with the aftermath. Everyone, literally everyone, thinks we are together, and are far more surprised to find out we aren't than that we would have be acting unfaithfully to our wives! Fuck! Billy thought we were dealing with two healthy relationships!” Rob ranted, standing up, it was still bothering him that everyone thought they were together, even though he was certain he would be quite happy if it was the truth.

“You're always ready to talk!" Rich threw his hands up and turned to lean against the table, his back to Rob. "They are very attached to us as a couple, aren't they."

“You gunna to tell me what's up?” Rob pushed a chair out of the way and leaned next to Rich.

“You do realize that there has never been any man in my life that I ever thought of this way.” Rich told him matter of fact. 

“Yes, I do know you that well.” Rob said with a sigh, he knew perfectly well that Rich was entirely straight. He had seen him say it at conventions, to friends, to his wife. He knew it was probably why he had never assumed that their relationship was anything but a friendship. It would never occurred to him that this could be something other than just that until Molly had brought it up.

"It freaks me out that I have even had to think about it. It is unsettling that people see that for us, and that even my wife seems to have come to terms with it." Rich glanced at Rob who was staring at his shoes instead of looking at the man next to him. "I am trying. I just -- it's a lot. I am fourth five I should not be questioning any of this."

"I suppose that makes sense." Rob fiddled with his phone, trying not to let the conflict he was feeling about all of this cross his face.

"This bothers you." Rich stated, seeing right through Rob.

“I—I—“ Rob tried. He was coming to terms with all of this himself, and while he was more comfortable with it than Rich clearly was, he had not even managed to put everything he was thinking about into words this morning. “I don’t know.”

“That is not what your face says.” Rich teased lightly, bumping their shoulders together, covering his fear of what Rob might say. 

“Fine, I do know." Rob paused, ran his hands through his hair and tried to come up with words to explain why it was hard for him to hear all of this. "I-- I suppose it's, well, not sure how to put it into words."

“You've had more time than I have."

Running his hands across his face, he tried to put words to everything that had occurred to him, the reasons he hated that Rich kept telling him he wasn't his type. “Ever since, well, my conversation with Molly the other week— I can’t— I can't stop looking at our relationship, yours and mine, wondering what everyone sees in it.”

"Then the other night I saw it. Saw us, saw what we could have. I don’t know how I missed it. Don’t know if I was just too close to it, couldn't see, or if it was just looking at it from a different angle. I don’t know. After I heard your conversation with Jaci, it reminded me that just because I can see it does not mean it’s ever going to be real, can be real.”

"After that, Sunday, the picture on my phone. A part of me knew what I wanted. And I know you are straight, trust me I know. You flaunt it sometimes, when you get uncomfortable you make sure everyone around you knows you are straight and you masculinity is feeling threatened.”

“I'm sorry.” The soft words pierced the silence that had fallen when Rob had finished talking.

“For what?” Rob looked over at him startled, of all the things he had expected from Rich an apology was not one of them.

“Making you think, for making you feel like that's not what I'm aiming for.” Rich smiled slightly at Rob, he had finally figured out what was freaking him out so badly the other evening, it was not that other people thought that of them, people had been writing slash fiction about his characters for years, it was that as they pointed things out he could see what they were saying. And even if it scared the crap outta him he, and he was in no way ready to have that kind of relationship, he could see what they were seeing about his and Rob’s relationship.

“I will be ok.” Rob looked down at the floor again, studying the details of their shoes. "Wait, Oh."

“I am trying. Because I have seen it too. Scares me shitless.” Rich looked around the room, trying to escape the conversation.

"Seriously?" Surprise and hope filled Rob's face. 

"Yes?" Rich looked away from Rob, he was not comfortable with any of this. He had never been at ease talking feelings, he was certainly not used to discussing the new twist that was definitely in their friendship.

"You don't sound sure about that?" 

"Honestly, no. But it's something I can definitely see as a possibility. This may actually be worse than flyin'." Rob snorted, Rich smiled and continued, "I need some time to get my head around this. But you're not wrong about this weekend."

"Rob, you fix him yet?" One of their minions poked her head into the main part of the office.

"I think we are getting there. We have anything on the agenda this afternoon?" Rob asked trying to ignore the anxiety that this conversation had been eavesdropped on. 

"Nothing that can't wait. You want to take off?" The woman asked.

"Rich?" Rob turned the question to his friend.

"Fine, fine." Rich agreed somewhat reluctantly, he still had work to do, if Rob wanted to ditch that was his choice.

“I'll have him fixed up like new tomorrow." Rob grabbed his to-go mug and checked for his phone and keys.

"Wait what?" Rich looked surprised, Rob was not ditching him, he was dragging him off somewhere.

"Oh, you are coming with me. You need to go somewhere you can stop harassing our staff, we need them to like us so that we can rock this whole kings of con thing.”

“Where are we going?" Rich quickly began gathering his things.

“Back to my place, we are going to hang out on that huge couch and watch Netflix until we fall asleep.” Rob explained. "We both need a bit of rest."

“Fine.” Rich followed him out of the office, leaving a rather relieved staff behind them. Rob wondered what Rich had done that had them scattered to the four winds. He decided he would have to ask later. For now it was off to Netflix and nap, he doubted either of them were ready for what chill entails, though the whole office was going to think that was what they were up to.


	10. Netflix and nap

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Rob asked as they walked into the house. He set his keys and wallet on the counter as they moved though the kitchen.

"I'm ok for right now." Rich was feeling a bit wrung out from their earlier conversation, he settled into the corner of the sofa and watched Rob grab the remotes for the TV. He was not terribly surprised when Rob sat next to him rather than at the other end of the couch. 

“What'd ya feel like watching?" Rob asked as he navigated the menus to Netflix.

"Something funny." Rich found himself watching Rob more than the list of movies that was scrolling through on the TV. He knew that while he had never really thought about his friend in a romantic way prior to Thursday's conversation, he was starting to feel like he would be willing to take their relationship in that direction. That thought had him wanting to run for the hills. 

"Rich?" Rob asked, Rich focused back on the present.

"What?"

"Psych?" Rob gestured at the TV.

"Sure." Rich made himself focus on the screen. The show provided little distraction from the fact that Rob had shifted so that their shoulders were touching. “You going to touch me all the time now?”

“I haven’t actually changed what I do. I always touch you all the time.” Rob shifted so that he was more comfortable. “Not like you have room to talk.”

“Huh.” Rich wrapped his arm around the other man. He tried to focus on the show but found that he could not. The warmth and scent of his friend wrapped around him, not things he usually considered about the other man. “I can’t believe we have meetings the rest of the week.”

“I know, I am going to be running till we go to Rome. It’s going to feel like a vacation even though we will still be working.” Rob sighed, there were going to be an insane amount of things to deal with in these next six weeks, but right now cuddled with Rich on the sofa it felt distant. He was a bit surprised that Rich was letting him get away with being this close, especially since he knew he was struggling with where their relationship was. 

“Louden Swain is doing recording this month?” Rich asked, whatever was happening on the screen lost on both of them.

“Yes, plus finalizing songs with Jason for the Station Breaks Album. We won't finish recording that till after Kings Of Con gets filmed though.”

“That's a quick turn around. Weren't you trying to get that out this fall?”

“Jason has a guy.”

“We are going to have to schedule in time for us to spend time together, not about work.” Rich glanced at Rob, he knew that while he was feeling overwhelmed by this right now, that would not last forever, at least he hoped. He was used to feeling comfortable in this relationship, this discomfort was not something he wanted to last.

“Not new apparently.” Rob chuckled, thinking about all of the conversations he had had with different people through out the weekend.

“Who told you that?”

“Billy.”

“Really?” Rich already knew that Rob and Billy had talked, and that Billy was convinced that they were together, but that he had thought about how much time they spent together was surprising.

“He was telling me on Saturday that we date more than most couples he has ever seen.”

“Do we?” While he could see that they had always been close enough that people mistakes their physical contact with romance instead of simple friendship he did not realize that the time they spent together was seen as anything but hanging out. Though he since his best friend was snuggled into his side he should not be so shocked.

“Are you really surprised that there are things that we do that everyone interprets as couple things?”

“After the weekend we just had, no not really.” Rich shrugged, playing casual. “I guess I have never thought about it like that.”

“We are apparently a couple, we just have to make it official.”

“No sex.”

“If that is all that separates us from being a romantic couple in your eyes than we are really screwed.” Pushing back so he could look up at Rich to see what he was thinking about. Rob was looking at him with his eyes all crinkled, his blue eyes bright. Rich found he nearly couldn't breathe, he knew he was in love with his friend. 

He forced himself to pay attention to the show, he could not be thinking about Rob like that right now. He was going to need a bit of space to sort everything he was feeling about all of this. By the second episode he found himself starting to drift off. He pulled off his shoes and casually draped his legs across Rob's lap, effectively shifting how they were sitting so he had a bit more space without it looking too obvious.

"Hey!" Rob complained lightly before He settled his hands on Rich's calves and every once in a while run his hand up and down. 

He drifted off to sleep after the third episode started. He woke slightly when he felt Rob shift around, laying his head on Rich's shoulder. Smiling at the gesture, even though a part of him thought he should be freaking out about it, Rich drifted back to sleep.

\------  
"Mooom” Rob woke to the sound of his daughter whining at Molly. “I want to watch TV.”

“You can watch after dinner. Get your homework done first.” Molly voice floated into the room.

He let Rich's soft breathing wash over him as he drifted somewhere between waking and sleeping. He should get up, but he was incredibly comfortable laying here, who knew when he would get to cuddle with him again. He stretched slightly and settled back down, hoping he could fall back asleep. His movements however woke Rich.

“Mmmm, What time is it?” Rich asked sleepily.

“Donno, haven’t checked. But the kids are home.” Rob nuzzled into the man who had an arm wrapped securely around him.

“hummm.” Rich’s hand ran up and down his back, “I should probably head home.”

“Could always tell Jaci that you are staying here for dinner and then go in a bit.” 

“You just want to keep me here forever.” Rich's voice calm and still filled with sleep.

“Even when you are annoying I like having you around.”

“That go along with the whole seeing us together thing.” He was trying to keep his tone light but, the thought of them together, even like this was freaking him out. He did not want Rob to think he would never get there, or that he hated this. He loved the quiet moments, he was enjoying this even if he was afraid of everything it could mean.

“Yes, the unfortunate part of seeing us as a couple means that I have to put up with you all the time.” Rob teased, letting his hand map the contours of Rich’s chest, stopping on occasion to play with one of the buttons on his shirt.

“Robbie.”

“What?”

“I gotta get up.”

“Why?”

“Gotta pee.”

“But I’m comfy.”

“Tough shit.” Rich pushed Rob off of him gently and stood up, heading to the bathroom. Rob sat up on the sofa and leaned his head back trying to get his bearings after the nap.

“Mom! Mom! Can I go watch TV now?” He heard his daughters excited cries.

“Have you finished your homework?” Molly asked.

“Yes!”

“All of it? Even your spelling?” Rob knew that tone, it was Molly’s ‘I know you did not do this and I am only asking because I want you to tell me rather than me have to show you I know’ voice. It was one of the tones she took with clients, it was a tone she had used on him from time to time.

Rich wondered back into the room, “What are you smiling about?”

“My daughter is trying to con my wife into letting her watch TV before she finishes her homework.” Rob said quietly.

“How badly is she failing?”

“Right now? It’s never going to happen.” Rob stood and looked back towards the kitchen, where his wife was getting his daughter to finish her homework.

"I really need to head out." Rich said softly.

"Your car is at work." 

"Oh, crap, I forgot about that."

"Molly?" Rob asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Yes?"

"I need to take Rich back to the office, I should be about 20 minutes."

"He's not staying? Dinner should be ready by the time you get back."

"Right, I will see you in a bit then." Rob headed through the kitchen grabbing his keys and his wallet, Rich following close behind. He could not help but feel like a teenager again as he settled into the car with Rich in the passenger seat, having just asked permission to take his boyfriend home before dinner. Not that that's what they were exactly.

The drive was never too long, though this time as he drove it there was far more traffic then when he had gone to work earlier in the day. He glanced over at Rich and wondered if he should say something. He had no idea what he should say, and he could see Rich getting tense as they neared to office.

"Thanks for giving me a ride."

"Not a problem, I dragged you off without your car, it's only fair that I bring you back to your car."  
Rob parked next to the other man's vehicle. He turned to the other man to find that he was being watched. "What?"

"Nothing" Rich looked away and reached for the door handle.

"Wait" Rob put a hand on his friends arm, "We should get together this weekend anyway. I know we talked today but I don't only want to see you when we are at work."

"Of course." Rich smiled softly, his free hand carded through his hair making it even more of a mess than it already was after their nap. His eyes sparkling in the street lamp lit car. "I should go."

"Right. I will see you tomorrow." Rob left his hand for a long moment before letting Rich go.

Rich paused his eyes still locked with Robs, "tomorrow." And with that he was out of the car heading towards his own.


	11. Imploding

Rob walked back into his house twenty five minutes after having dropped Rich at his car. There had been a moment, however brief, in the car right before Rich climbed out were Rob was sure he was going to kiss him. As he made his way into the kitchen he wished it had happened, it would have been a perfect way to end their afternoon. The normalcy of making his way to the dinner table were Molly had set plates full of food and the kids had finished their homework was perfect to come home to, even if his day had not been what he expected.

“Hi.” Molly greeted him, handing him glasses to put on the table.

“Hi.” He kissed her in greeting, before setting the water on the table.

Despite the happiness he had felt re-entering the house, dinner was an uncomfortable affair, he could sense that there was something going on with Molly and she was not going to talk about it in front of the kids, but as soon as they were out of the room it would be talked about. The tension radiating off of her was making him anxious. He was nervous and jumpy by the end of the meal, wishing he knew what was coming.

“What happened this afternoon?” She asked when they were finally alone.

“I went into the office, we talked, we came back here and watched a couple of episodes of something random on Netflix and fell asleep.” Rob leaned against the counter, he was starting to detest his kitchen, they kept having these conversations here and it was really starting to get to him.

“Did you figure things out?”

“We are better off than we were. I know where we stand.” Rob ran a hand through his hair, thinking about the way the day had gone. “We have a ways to go.”

“Where you stand?" Molly asked, though she had a pretty good idea.

“I think eventually it could become romantic, well that's not accurate, it seems to trend that way, we will get to the place where we can acknowledge that it is romantic. For the time being we are going to spend time together like we would and go from there.” Rob answered the question, knowing there was nothing to keep it from stinging a little that she had been somewhat right about them. Though she was far more informed of their relationship than she thought she was.

“I'm struggling with finding you asleep entangled with someone else.” She told him quietly. He realized this was what had been bothering her.

“This morning you were telling me that you had suspected for a long time and it didn’t change anything.” He was frustrated with her change in mood on all of this. They had been in a good place this morning and now... now his wife was telling him she was struggling with all of this. The flip-flop was not only confusing but frustrating, it wasn’t doing any favors for his anxiety.

“It’s not like I have ever been confronted with you two being completely open like this though. Sure I have seen you act way too close, had my suspicions about things, but never seen anything more intimate than that. Today, this afternoon, I was blindsided by the fact that despite all of your denials and frustrations over this weekend you two somehow managed to seem closer than I have ever seen you.” Molly paused and looked down at her hands. Rob could see her thinking. After all of their years together he knew better than to rush her as she tried to work everything out in her head. Sure this morning things felt fairly normal, but now there was clear strain in her face. “This morning it was still hypothetical, but this afternoon, it was different, it was real in a way I have never experienced. It hit me. I could lose you to him.”

"Molly." Rob started, he was not sure what he was going to say, but he wanted to say anything to make this better. 

"No don't. I know there are ways to make all of that work, and we can try. But for me, I don't think I want to share you. I don't think I can." Her voice broke as she spoke, "I always thought I was doing so well, sharing. But this afternoon I realized what I was good at was ignoring the problem because I had never really seen you two together."

"D-do you...a- are-are you…” Rob floundered for words. Sure he knew there was a possibility from the moment that she had asked him about Rich that she was getting ready to leave. But they had come to a place this morning where he was sure they were going to be fine. Now hearing the way she was talking right now, the way her voice broke, made the possibility all too real again.

"No. Right now, we are going to find a way to make it work. I am going to fight for this, because I love you. No matter what happens I don't think I will stop loving you." Her determination rang out in her voice, but did not quite reach her eyes.

"I am afraid I am going to lose both of you, afraid that it'll all evaporate even if I fight for you, and I am not sure what to do." Rob turned away from his wife. Trying not have a panic attack, he could feel himself shaking more than usual. His world shifted seismically, she was one of the most important things in his life, had been for years. Even as his relationship with Rich changed, she had always been there. “I—I — You are my rock, no matter what has ever happened, you have been here for so long."

"I know."

“I— I need you…” Rob tried. He knew they were going to try, but he also knew that they were falling apart. In the week since she had brought it all up, they were falling apart. What was going to happen if he pushed to keep both relationships? Would it all fall apart faster? Could he have it all? "What do we do about the kids?"

"What do you mean?” Molly asked in confusion at the abrupt change of subject.

"What do we tell them about all of this?” He didn’t know what to do about them, his relationships were falling apart and he did not know what they needed to tell them about all of this.

"We... I don't know. I think we have a bit of time though.” Molly looked off into space for a minute. "We should discuss you and Rich having a more intimate, sexual relationship and how that will affect us."

“Really, Molly?" Rob nearly rolled his eyes, "There has been a conversation about maybe, not even managed to get a kiss out of the man and you want to talk sex?"

"Well, it's something to consider." Rob buried his face in his hands trying to will away his mortification at the direction that this conversation had taken. This was not something he had expected to discuss and his imagination was supplying him with explicit imagery of Rich. "I know you’ve already thought about it, just cause your adorable does not make you innocent."

"Fine! I have thought about it." Rob said into his hands. "With the rate we are going I doubt it's going to happen any time soon, Rich really is only at maybe. It's not like I have any experience with men, ok so not recently.”

"You're a grown up. Research.” She said with a wink.

"Molly!" Rob shouted in embarrassment, she giggled. "Not two minutes ago you were freaking out about this and now you are telling me to do research?"

"Just because I think our marriage is in danger, and part of it is Rich, doesn't mean I think any of this is going to put too much of a damper on you two.” Molly gave him a look that that definitely reminded him why they had been together so long. “plus it is really fun to see you squirm.”

"We are going to try not to let this destroy anything.” 

"We are going to try." Molly stood, even though there was always more to discuss. "Now we should go spend a bit of time with our children before they need to be in bed.”  



	12. Canceled plans

Rob sighed in frustration, Rich had just cancelled on him again. It was the third time in two weeks that the man had said he could do something and then at the last minute backed out on him. After their conversation the day after the con, Rich had been finding ways to only spend time with Rob while they were at work, and while he was friendly and seemed mostly normal, he was distant. He had thought the whole thing had gone well; they talked they hung out, nothing major. While they had fallen asleep sprawled together on the sofa, it was nothing more than a bit of cuddling. The distance between them now was starting to bother Rob, and he was not sure what to do about it.

"Rob?" Molly came into the room and could see his frustration. While everything was not perfect in their relationship she still knew her husband very well. "Rich cancel on you again?"

"Yes." Rob tucked his phone in his pocket. "He said something about the boys and his wife needing help with them."

"This has happened way too many times. If he is not going to come to you, you need to go to him." Molly stated matter of fact, deciding that two weeks was way too long for her husband to be preoccupied with not being able to spend time with his friend, even if she was still not sure she wanted to share him.

"W--w--what?" Stumbling on the word as Molly tossed him his keys and wallet. On auto pilot he tucked his wallet into his back pocket. The last time they had talked she had not been quite so accepting and they had been sniping at each other for nearly two weeks. They had been trying, they had gone out several times, just trying to spend time together, but it was not helping. Now here she was pushing him out the door sending him off to see the man who was the cause of tensions between them.

"You need to deal with this. Rich is being an ass, and you have been letting him get away with it." Molly guided him towards the door. "The only one who can knock some sense into him is you, well and a few of his friends might be able to, but I doubt that he has spent a whole lot of time explaining any of this to them."

"W-w-what-- what am I supposed to say to him?" Rob found himself sitting in his car. Molly had pulled a Rich level manipulation to get him in the car. He would have laughed, except he was panicking about seeing his friend with no idea what to say after he had been blowing him off for weeks.

"You'll know what to say." Molly assured him closing the car door and stepping back so he had enough room to back out of the driveway, with the knowledge that she could either be saving their marriage or destroying it.

Rob was half way to Rich's house and he still had no idea what he was supposed to say to the other man. He had so many things he might like to say to him, but he had no idea where if Rich had come to some kind of place with all of this. No backing out now, if he went back now he was a coward. The drive was not too bad this time of day, traffic was minimal and all too soon he was parking his car in the street in front of Rich's house. Rob sat there for a minute, gathering all the courage he could muster before getting out of the car and heading for the front door.

He knocked on the door and then he hoped that the man was actually there. The van that frequently sat in the driveway was absent. He was about to knock again when the front door opened to reveal his best friend, wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt.

"So..." Rob said, anger tinting the word. While he had been frustrated earlier, now that he knew the man had nothing going on, and he still blew him off, he was angry now.

"Come in." Rich said, opening the screen door. "I don't need to have this conversation in front of my neighbors."

"I see you have the house to yourself.” Rob was furious, he wanted to spend time with the man and he was getting blown off in favor of Rich hanging out by himself.

“Yeah.” Was all Rich said. He really did not have an excuse. He knew he was running away from the problem and knew that it was throwing off his and Rob’s relationship. But he was not sure he was ready to deal with it.

"So you canceled on me, again, why?” 

“Let's sit.” Rich walked farther into the house, towards the living room.

"I don't really feel like sitting right now, Rich.” Rob followed Rich into his living room which was cluttered with action figures and toy cars, and displaying all of the chaos left by having three boys running around. “We need to talk about why it is that you have been avoiding me.”

“I don’t think there is an answer that I can give you that you will be happy with.” Rich said sounding tired.

“I really do like it better when people let me decide that for myself.” The sharp words erupted out of Rob in his frustration with Rich who kept deflecting.

“This is overwhelming. And it’s complicated.”

“You act like I don’t know that. Rich, me and Molly keep fighting, the kids are starting to get worried. Heck I am worried. I was honest that first time we talked about this. I don’t want to lose either of you.” Rob fiddled with his car keys as he paced back and forth. “Right now it feels like I am losing both of you and that scares me.”

“You’er not losing me. I just needed, need some time.” Rich started to explain. He needed the space to think and Rob was not making any of this particularly easy.

"Always sounds like something bad is coming.” 

“You know that's not true.” It was Rich's turn to be irritated.

“Right.” They were both quiet for a long time. Rob came and sat down next to his friend. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I needed some time to think about us." Rich said eventually. His voice cautious and quiet. "I needed to make sure that it was not something that I was getting talked into by others, and actually something I wanted. I didn't want to end up with both of us hurt because we got into something that was... something we didn't want."

"Have you figured it out?" Rob asked, terrified by all of the possibilities. There were so many reasons that Rich could have been avoiding him for the last couple of weeks. Making dates and then breaking them. The options were tumbling through his mind at break neck speed.

"I don't know." There was a pause as Rich looked Rob over, Rob could not help but fidget as he waited for Rich to continue. Rich sighed and then spoke again, "I think I have, I think I want that kind of a relationship, a romantic one, with you. I think our friends and wives have just seen what's there, what we missed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am well aware that there are a lot of lose ends left, and there is only one chapter left (and you will get it next Friday)... this is fair warning they are not getting all wrapped up... however, before you mutiny, I do want to write a sequel to this. The problem is I can't decide what I want the final end game to be... and this is something I have been trying to decide since before I started posting... anyway there are two options as I see it...   
> 1\. Polyship... cockles esque... r2 and they still have their wives...   
> 2\. R2 and no more wives... well I assume they would still be around in some capacity, I wasn't thinking about killing anyone...   
> You can tell me what you think in the comments or over on Tumblr (I assume some of you have an opinion on this)... whatever your comfortable with...
> 
> Right... enough rambling from me... I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)


	13. In the moment

"Really?" Rob squeaked out. He was ready for Rich to tell him he never wanted to see him again. Ready for him to say, well they were just friends. But no, here he was saying they should pursue a romantic relationship and Rob almost couldn't believe it.

"Robbie. Yes, I have been thinking about it since the first time we talked 'bout this. And I certainly didn't come to it lightly." Rich raised an eyebrow at Rob's surprise.

“I think we should go out to lunch like we were supposed to.” Rob declared after having gotten his wits back about him.

“What? Why?” It was Rich's turn to be surprised.

“Because, you owe me. I've been ready to spend time with you for a week, and therefore we are going to go get lunch.”

“And people think I am the manipulative one. Fine, fine. Lemme get dressed.” Rich pushed himself off the sofa and disappeared into the recesses of the house. Rob leaned back against the sofa, dragging Rich out was not really in his plans but it seemed that his wife was right, going to harass Rich had gotten him to stop avoiding him and admit that he wanted this relationship. Rich came back a few minutes later in jeans and a button down, looking put together. Rob couldn't help but stare, Rich was gorgeous. “Where are you taking me?”

“I figured we would just go to that little place down the street we go to all the time. Bring your damn wallet, you're paying.” Rob stood, forcing his focus away from Rich and to brushing the invisible wrinkles from his cloths. He led the way to his car, Rich following him out, after grabbing his wallet.

“People know us there.” He complained.

“If you are concerned what people think you should remember that every single one of our friends thought we were already a couple.” There was so much to say and yet, neither of them sure how to say it, so Rob drove them in silence.

“Why are you so calm about this?” Rich asked breaking the awkward quiet that had engulfed the car.

“What makes you think I am?” Rob asked pulling into the parking lot and searching for a parking space. “Just because I am not actively panicking does not mean that this isn't weird for me too.”

“You just kept pushing.” Rich commented as they climbed out of the car and headed into the familiar restaurant.

“I— I am sorry if it's been too much.” They stepped up to the hostess, "two."

"Right this way." She led them to a small table against one of the windows. "Your server will be with you in a few minutes."

"Thank you." They said almost in unison as they take their seats at the table they were led to.

“It's not just you, you know.” Rich said glancing through the familiar menu.

“It’s not?” Rob glanced at the other man, having no idea where this was going. He had no idea that anything he had said before today could be construed as pushing, and now it wasn't just him.

“No, Jaci is pushing too. She keeps asking about us. I— she wants something and I am not sure what it is.”

"Hummm." Rob made a humming noise to tell Rich he has listening.

"I haven't known what to tell either of you."

"Rich, I know you were, are struggling with this, but we are both just trying to figure out where you stand." Rob paused as the waiter arrived.

"What can I get you gentleman?"

"I'll take a hamburger and fries and whatever is good on tap."

"And you?"

"The same." Rich told their server. When the man left he spoke again. "I am slowly coming to terms with things."

"That is somewhat comforting."

"I wanted to be completely comfortable moving forward." Rich shrugged, even though Rob had gotten him to admit he wanted to move forward, he was not sure he was anywhere near comfortable.

"I am not sure I know what that feels like."

"At this point me neither."

The conversation moved on to other things, their kids, work, friends. Rob had almost forgotten in the last several weeks that their relationship could be this easy. He remembered that even when they had first met all those years ago, hanging out for the first time, how natural their interactions were when they were together. There were several times over the course of the meal he caught himself flirting casually with the man across from him. He nearly gasped in surprise when he realized that the flirting was being reciprocated. A touch of hands, a bad joke laughed at too hard, quiet smiles, and once he was sure he caught a flick of eyes to his lips.

They sat and talked for nearly an hour but it felt like no time at all and soon enough the bill was paid and they were heading back to the car.

"You want to go someplace else?" Rob asked, as they settled back into the car.

"Where are you thinking of?"

"I don't really know, maybe someplace we can walk for a bit?"

"There is a pretty big park a couple blocks from here." Rich suggested having spent quite a bit of time there with the boys. 

The drive over to the park was short. They climbed out of the car and walked over to one of the paths that wound its way through the area. 

"I am sorry I shut you out." Rich said as they walked. There was no one nearby. In the distance Rob could see a group plying frisbee golf and hear the distant noise of kids on the playground. "I got so wrapped up in everything that I forgot, we have a strong relationship."

"We are rather natural together."

"Yes." Rich's reply was quiet and Rob found himself watching the other man's face. "It is one thing to know that people imagine a character you play staring in erotic fantasies, another to realize your friends think you are definitely in such a relationship with your best friend. Coming to terms with what it means for our relationship and what we might want it to mean, I am getting there. I want to be ok with it. I'm trying."

"I worry when you shut me out."

"I was wondering about something."

"What?"

"Kissing other dudes, what's it like?"

"Really Rich?" Rob couldn't help but giggle. He pulled himself together a bit. "Kissing is kissing. Not as scary as it seems. Biggest difference is the beard."

"Hummm." Was Rich's only reply.

"Want to try?"

"What?"

"Well, best way to find out what it feels like is to try it."

"Robert."

"Don't Robert me, you're the one who asked."

"Fine."

"Fine what?"

"Don't be an ass. Let's well, kiss."

"That may actually be the least romantic way I have ever been propositioned." Rob stepped off the path under one of the trees that dotted the park. Rich followed him awkwardly, stopping a few steps away from Rob. "This is not going to work if you are all the way over there."

"Are you sure you are ok with this?" Rich stepped close to the other man, his hands hanging uselessly by his sides.

"Wouldn't have suggested if I wasn't. Now stop acting like you have never kissed anyone in your whole life. It's not that different." Rob reached out, placing both his hands on Rich's hips. Rich finally managed something besides standing uncomfortably. One hand settled on Rob's shoulder and the other came up to his face, fingers cupping his jaw. Rob's mouth went dry as he looked into Rich's eyes, the intensity there was overwhelming. It had been a long time since a kiss had meant this much. Kissing had been a stage trick for a long time, he had kissed any number of people in front of a camera, in front of a crowed. But this, this was not that. He let himself drift forward, his eyes fluttering shut as his lips met Rich's softly. 

They pulled back, carefully watching each other's reactions. Rob licked his lips, Rich's thumb brushing across his cheek. Leaning back in he caught Rich's lips again. This time it was far more than the chaste peck they shared the first time. Rob felt Rich's tongue slip past his lips, tasting the other man as he explored his mouth. When they pulled back Rich rested his head against Rob's and they stood there catching their breath.

"That answers that question."

"What question?" Rob raised an eyebrow at the man who was slowly becoming far more than a friend.

"What kissing you would be like." Rich informed him seriously, causing Rob to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks! I can't believe I've gotten to the end of this... there are so many exciting things about this! I am really happy that all of you have been reading and if you've made it this far enjoying :)
> 
> Thank you so much to Hudine who had managed to comment on every chapter of this. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and leaving feedback. And thank you, thank you, thank you to longcat who helped me edit. I appreciate that more than I can tell you.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr [@KrisN5](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/krisn5)


End file.
